Container



1935. J. M. HOII'HEYRSALL 2,017,063

CONTAINER Filed Sept. 18, 1933 PM: Oct. is, 1935 PATENT OFFICE I CONTAINER.

John M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 18, 1933, Serial N6. 689,973

, Claims. (Cl. 221-28) The present invention relates to liquid dispensingfor containers or cans-which have been sealed and has particular reference to a dispensing nozzle construction for fullventing of the opened can during dispensing of its liquid contents so that a steady, even, discharging stream results.

An object of the invention isthe provision of a liquid container having a sealed and venting nozzle which is easily opened to condition it for pouring and which shapes and confines the discharging stream passing through the nozzle and permits an adequate supply of air entering into the can through the nozzle to displace the discharging liquid.

The invention contemplates the use of a nozzle for a liquid container which is associated with venting elements by means of which a smaller than nozzle size 'of discharging liquid stream is maintained during pouring to the end that the nozzle cannot be blocked by the stream 4 but is always open for entrance of sufllcient venting airto efiect a smooth and rapid discharge of the liquid.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a nozzle, liquid container which is initially sealed at its nozzle and which is also supplied with an auxiliaryseal or closure for the nozzle, the first seal being broken for opening of the can, the second being subsequently used to provide a reclosure.

An object of the invention is the provision of a venting nozzle for a container of the character described having an air passage extending into the interior of the can which is maintained open and free for venting during dispensing of the liquid contents.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as'it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. I

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a liquid container embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper end of the container showing its cover or top closure member prior to application;

Fig. 3 is an, enlarged sectional view taken through the upper end of the sealed container and through the nozzle,- the can being inverted, this view disclosing the dispensing of the liquid therefrom;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the sealed nozzle before the can isopened, illustrating the additional auxiliary closure for thesame; and

I Fig. 5 is a sectional, fragmentary detail taken substantially along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3 and showing a cross section of the vent tube.

- 6 An embodiment of the present invention, as

illustrated in the drawing, comprises a metallic can body ll having a bottom I2 secured there to in any suitable manner. The can body may be. necked-in at l3 to provide a smaller diam- 10 eter for the upper open end of the can. Its upper end 'wall is further bent outwardly and inwardlyto provide a curled top edge l4 (Figs.

2 and 3).

.A metallic cover member l5 may be employed for closing the can after it has been filled and such a oovermember is formed with a cylindrical friction wall l6 which sets oif a countersunk part of the cover and this part enters into the open reduced end I3 of the body II when the can is closed. The cover member 1 5 thus has a curved surrounding rim which encloses an annular groove i1 in which may be located a sealinggasket l8.

The outer edge of the cover rim constitutes a flange Hi from which locking lugs 2| may be extended at spaced intervals. When the cover I5 is first brought into its inserted position for closing the filled can, these lugs 2| are bent under the curled edge M of the body and per- I m-anently lock the cover in can sealing position.

The wall of the countersink of "the cover I5 is preferably further depressed adjacent one side as at 25 and an extended or projecting curled nozzle 26 is formed in'the metal in the center of the depression, the wall of the nozzle surrounding an opening 21 in the'cover wall.

A vent housing 3| is secured to the cover wall and is fully inside of the can when the cover is in its can sealing. position. The vent housing 40 comprises a cylindrical wall 32 merging into an outwardly extending flange 33 which is directly secured to the cover in any suitable manner as by soldering orwelding. Y

-The cylindrical wall 32 is wider .on the inner side than on the side adjacent the cover rim and merges intoan apertured annular inclined wall 34 which surrounds and sets off a discharge open,- ing 35. This vent housing opening is eccentric to the cylindrical wall 32 and a vent chamber 36 is thus confined between the inner surface of the can cover and the cylindrical and inclined walls I 3234, the vent housing being at the inner side of the lineor plane of thecontainer wall or top.

A vent tube. 4! (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided,

. one end being inserted into .and held by the wide portion of the cylindrical wall 32 and its opposite end terminating short of the peripheral edge of the cover member l5. This tube is fixedly held on the cover member, the wall 32 holding it at one end, the opposite end being formed with a lug 42 which is secured to the cover wall in any suitable manner as by spot welding.

An inexpensive yet satisfactory tube is formed by rolling a flat strip of metal into the curled form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the tube walls confining an interior passageway 43, one end of which communicates with the chamber 36 of the vent housing. The opposite end terminates a short distance from the inside wall of the cam body.

The opening 21 of the nozzle 26 is adapted to be closed when thecover member is applied to the filled can and prior to using the'nozzle 26 for dispensing purposes and a sealing disc 45 (Figs. 3 and 4) is used for such closing. Disc 45 is preferably formed with an outer crimped edge 46 which is adapted to be tightly clamped over the peripheral edge of the nozzle. A sealing material 41 of soft lead orthe like is interposed between the nozzle and the sealing disc when a real tight joint is required.

The sealing disc is drawn and otherwise shaped as shown so that in addition to sealing the nozzle it provides for easy opening and forcooperation with a supplemental closing element as will. be hereinafter'fully explained. The annular crimped part 46 of the disc is merged into an upwardly extending looped wall 48, the inner leg being bent downwardly and thence inwardly as it' merges into a horizontal wall 49 which extends across and seals the opening 21 of the nozzle. The wall 49 is provided with an annular score line 5|. which sets off a removable central part 52, the score linev gii'oviding a weakened section in the wall of the While the sealing disc 45 forms the primary or initial seal for the filled can, an auxiliary closure cap 55 is also provided which will be used to temporarily close the can after it has once been opened and during the time between opening and emptying. This cap is adapted for'ready attachment to the nozzle 26 and a cap will-preferably accompany each filled and sealed can so as to be available for use by the ultimate consumer of the can contents.

A satisfactory reclosure cap for this purpose is illustrated in the drawing and comprises a flexing, cap formed with a raised dome or bulged center grooved fiange 51, the outer part of which is bent down to provide a depending skirt 56 slit at intervals to form segmental locking fingers 59 which have inwardly bent engaging ends 6 I. The cap 55 may also be provided with a suitable sealing gasket 62 of fibre, cork or'the like.

The auxiliary cap 55 when accompanying the sealed can is in position on the nozzle 26 and it 6 covers the sealing disc 45 at such time as shown in Fig. 4. The locking fingers 59 areheld inwardly pressed and the flexing dome part 56 is in its raised position, the finger ends 6! engaging underthe outer crimped rim edge 46'of the sealing disc.

The gasket 62 rests upon the upper rim of the looped wall 48 of the sealing disc. The container when received by the ultimate consumer is therefore provided with two seals, namely, the initial 75 sealing disc 45 and the auxiliary'closure cap 55.

portion 56 which. is surrounded with an annular When it is desired to dispense the liquid contents from the filled can the auxiliary cap 55 is re-- moved, its central dome part 56 being pressed down so that the locking fingers 59 are forced outwardly tqdisengage their ends 6| from the 5 edge of the sealing disc. The score line 5| of the sealing disc is broken through in any suitable manner, any sharp instrument being adequate to break through the weakened wall 49, the removable part 52 defined 10 .by the score lines being pried out of its sealing position and thrown away. This leaves a discharge opening (Fig. 3) which uncovers and -makes available the nozzle opening 21.

This breaking of the disc seal constitutes an 15 opening of the filled can which is thereupon tilt- I ed and inverted, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that the liquid contents-passes out through the discharge opening'35 of the vent. housing as a confined or restricted stream of predetermined diameter. This discharging stream passes through the larger openings 21, 65. g

It will be observed that the postion of the discharge opening 35 relative to the nozzle openings 21, 65 and its relatively smaller diameter insures 25 a free air space in those larger nozzle openings which is not filledby the liquid. In other words the two nozzle-openings are never blocked by the discharging stream of liquid and air enters through the free space which in the present em- 30 bodiment islargely in the upper part of the disc opening 65 and in the corresponding part of the nozzle opening'2'l.

Such air flows into the vent chamber 36. Air passes from the chamber 36 through the passage- 35 .way 43 of the tube 4| and discharges from the vent tube and passes up through the liquid in the can as bubbles (indicated in Fig. 3). This displaces the discharging liquid, there always being ample venting air for the can so that its discharging stream is.even and fully confined.

It is usual to only dispense a portion of the liquid from the can at one time and after each dispensing operation the auxiliary cap 55 is removably secured into its original position on the nozzle with its gasket 62 resting upon the extended rim 48 of the sealing disc 45 and its fingers 59 holding the cap in sealing position. This provides a reclosure for the can.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the 55 invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a. preferred embodiment thereof.

1. A liquid. container having a nozzle, and a vent housing located inside of the container and having a discharge opening of smaller diameter I than the diameter of the opening of said nozzle,

said housing opening being positioned within the line of the container, and offset laterally relative to the axis of the nozzle opening so that the liquid contents of the' container when being dispensed is confined to a discharging stream which in leaving the housing opening passes through having a discharge opening of smaller diameter 7 laterally and positioned in vertical alignment with one side of the nozzle opening so that the liquid contents of the container when being'dispensed is confined to a discharging stream which in leaving the housing opening passes through the lower part of the larger nozzle opening,

. leaving space at the side of the latter for entranceof air for venting and for displacing the liquid flowing from the container, the said vent housing having a chamber set off on one side of its discharge opening which receives and directs the venting air into the container.

3. A liquid container having an extended nozzle, a vent housing located inside of the container within the plane of the container wall, and having a discharge opening of smaller diameter than the diameter of the opening of said nozzle, said vent housing discharge opening being arranged eccentric to the nozzle opening, and avent tube located inside of the container and having one end extending into said vent housing where it is spaced from the said housing discharge opening, said tube being adapted for leading air into the container to displace the liquid discharging through the said vent-housing and nozzle'opening when the container is being'emptied.

4. A liquid container having an extended nozzle, a vent housing located inside of the container and having a discharge opening of smaller diameter than the diameter of the opening of said nozzle,'the former being located eccentric to said nozzle opening, and a vent tube located inside of the container and having one end extending into said vent housing adjacent one side of the nozzle opening and spaced from one side of said housing discharge opening andadapted for leading airinto the container during discharge of its liquid contents to displace the liquid discharging 'through the said vent housing and nozzle opensaid nozzle, a portion of said sealing disc being adapted for removal to open the container and provide a discharge opening for said nozzle, the eccentric arrangement or said vent housing being adapted to receive air entering a substantial lateral space disposed partially around the discharging liquid stream while passing through the nozzle opening during dispensing of the liquid from the container after opening, said vent housing receiving the air and directing it into the container to displace thedischarging liquid.

6. A liquid-container having an extended nozzle, a sealing secured to said nozzle for liquid sealing the container, a vent housing located inside of the container and having a discharge opening arranged eccentric to the axis of said container aiter opening.

nozzle and confining a chamber located on the side of said discharge opening, a portion of said sealing disc being adapted for removal to open the container and provide a discharge opening for said nozzle, and a vent tube located inside of the 5 container and having one end connected with: said housing chamber, the said chamber and tube being adapted to receive air entering at one side of the discharging liquid stream while passing through the nozzle opening during dispensing of 10 the liquid ,from the container after opening, said chamber and said tube also being adapted to direct the air into the container to displace the discharging liquid. I

7. A liquid container comprising a body, a cover 15 member secured to said body, an extended nozzle formed in the wall of said cover member, a vent housing secured to the cover member and within the plane thereof and having a discharge opening of smaller diameter than the diameter of the 20 opening of said nozzle and shaped to confine a vent chamber between the inside of said cover member and a wall surrounding said housing opening, the discharge opening of said vent housing being offset laterally relative to the axis of the nozzle, and a vent tube. secured to the inside wall of said cover member and having one end held in said vent housing withits interior in communication with said housing chamber and having its opposite end terminating short of the 30 inside wall of said body, said housing opening being adapted when the container contents is being discharged to shape and confine the discharging liquid so that the discharging streamflows out through said nozzle while permitting 3;, venting air to enter the container at one side or the discharging liquid stream and by way oi said vent housing chamber and said vent tube.

8. A liquid container comprising a body, a cover member secured to said body, anextende'd nozzle 40 formed in the wall of said cover member, a vent housing secured to the cover member and within the plane thereof and having a discharge opening of smaller diameter than the diameter of the opening 01' said nozzle and shaped to confine a 5 vent chamber between the inside of said cover member and a wall surrounding said housing opening, the discharge opening, of said vent housing being arranged eccentric totheaxis. of the nozzle, and a vent tube secured to the inside wall of said body, said'housi ng opening being adapted when the container contents is being dischargedto shape and confine the'dischar'ging liquid so I that the discharging stream flows out through said nozzle while permitting venting air to. enter the container at one side oithe discharging liquid v stream by way 0! .said vent housing chamber and said vent tube, a primary closure adapted -ior application to said nom'le to seal the container prior to its opening, and an auxiliary closure for engaging said nozzle to temporarily seal the WJOHN M. no'mnRsaLL. 

